#tuck how do i tag this

[mrzombielover]

Hi! Idk if you take requests or even like, emergency requests but, it's obviously Christmas time and I'm feeling really down bc I'm spending it alone. I was wondering if you could write something with Ghost and König's friend calling them and asking them if they could spend the holiday together? Up to you if you wanna make it friends to lovers kinda thing but honestly anything fluff and sweet is more than enough. Thank you so much, and Merry Christmas!

hii i normally don’t take emergency requests (cause i’m not good at themsbahhd) but this prompt is cute. hope headcanon format is okay, that’s the fastest way i could get this out

sorry if this sucks, i wrote it really quickly and didn’t edit it lol

hope your christmas gets better anon :,(

most people are thrilled to get time off for christmas. it’s heartwarming to see dads reunite with their kids during the season, when the majority of people get time off. ordinarily, around this time of year, you’d drown yourself in work and missions to try and take your mind off it, but captain price insisted you guys get this time off to go home and relax. honestly though, you were dreading going back home. it just depresses you.

at the airport, boarding was about to begin, and you found yourself fighting tears. everyone around you seemed to be waiting anxiously, wanting nothing more than to get to your destination. as the minutes went on, you were filled with more and more dread.

at the very last minute, just as they were about to call your group, you found yourself running away from the gate, phone in hand, thinking of anyone to call so last minute.

- simon “ghost” riley

ghost was similar to you in that he also dislikes the holiday season. he’s got no one to celebrate with and nothing but bad memories of it.

when he picked up your call, he told you he hadn’t left the base, and didn’t really plan to soon.

at first he was apprehensive, but he quickly found that he really likes having you on base with him. there were some christmas decorations, but the base was almost entirely empty.

for the first time, ghost was enjoying his holiday break, and quickly got used to your presence.

you guys binge movies in the rec room to pass the time, make a ton of food from whatever’s left in the kitchen, and once you’ve exhausted everything else, you even get a little work and cleaning done.

it’s been a really nice distraction having eachother around. you don’t need to explain anything to eachother, simon will silently accept and comfort you.

the cold pushes you guys together, you’ll cheekily ask to stay in his room to “warm up”, and spoon all night. cuddling while watching movies and forcing him to try your hot cocoa.

some days pass, and even though you didn’t really talk about christmas with him, he got you a gift anyway. it would be something small but sentimental, probably from a mission you were both on or the country where you met. a souvenir or piece of jewelry, or something useful, like a watch. he thinks he isn’t great at giving gifts, but it’s the thought he puts into them that makes it special.

just a few days until you’ve got to go back to work, and you’ve enjoyed an actual relaxing winter holiday. before you go, he’ll catch up to say goodbye, before realizing you’re under the mistletoe. he’ll plant a gentle, almost cautious kiss to your soft lips, letting his hands cup your face, as if begging you not to go. the two of you agree to do this every year.

- könig

(his family life is p much all my headcanon btw)

whenever he has the chance, könig goes back to austria over breaks. he becomes incredibly homesick, especially around the holidays, and when you called, he was ecstatic to show you his beautiful home and share traditions with you.

it made him so happy when you asked to spend time with him, and he was so glad you felt comfortable enough to open up to him about how hard the holidays are for you. he silently vowed to change that for you.

he immediately showed you all his favorite local restaurants and cafes, food he’d been craving so bad during the months he was deployed. you guys did typical touristy stuff along with local traditions and experiences.

he insisted you have dinner at his parents house for christmas, and helped you pick out last minute gifts. horrible at wrapping presents though, that was all you.

his parents are so nice, especially his mom, even though she teased könig about finally bringing a partner home. you made biscuits with her, but she wouldn’t let you help clean, insisting that you were a guest.

after you thank him for making this your best christmas, he’ll tell you how great it was to have you here, and comment on how you should make it a tradition. with christmas lights in the background and snow flurrying around you, you’ll finally make it official.

[autism-sprinkles]

I need more alterhuman mutuals ☹️

reblog this post if you're a therian or otherkin or otherlink or otherhearted!! or copinglink or fictionkin:3 or any other labels under the alterhuman umbrella!! i need more creatures in my life

[missmagooglie]

Prefacing this by saying this is not what I EXPECT to happen in 7x09 and 7x10, it's just one specific scenario that I feel particularly feral about right now... so with that said, I'm gonna throw out a dream scenario for the end of S7:

Tommy and Buck are dating and it's going well. Buck is just sort of blossoming in his new identity as a queer man. There's a self-confidence and assuredness to him that we haven't seen before

Meanwhile, Eddie has broken things off with Marisol and is quietly going through his own reevaluation of his sexuality. His awareness of his queerness happens pretty simultaneously with his realization that the way he loves Buck isn't entirely platonic, but he keeps it to himself because Buck is happy with Tommy

Episode 9 finds Eddie and Buck together off duty. Maybe they're having an argument. Maybe on the surface they're arguing about something small but somehow it feels much bigger

Mid-argument some emergency strikes. Buck and Eddie are trapped together and it's BAD. They're both in mortal peril, but it's worse for Eddie. Eddie hopes help will arrive in time to save Buck, but he's pretty sure he won't be alive to see it

(And I just want to stress - I feel like it's essential that they are off duty when this happens. They are in sync on the job, it's how they fit together outside of the job they're still figuring out)

So Eddie gets Buck's attention - because Buck hasn't given up yet. He won't. He CAN'T. He's frantically searching for solutions as Eddie repeats his name in a weakened voice, until finally he cracks and says, "Evan, please. I need you to hear this."

And in the final seconds of episode nine, Eddie Diaz looks Evan Buckley dead in the eye and tells him, "I love you"

Episode ten opens on an unrelated disaster, just to keep us gnashing our teeth a little longer

Maybe we throw some flashbacks in there for good measure

Check in on the rest of the firefam frantically trying to coordinate a rescue effort

But FINALLY they cut back to Buck and Eddie in mortal danger and replay the last few moments of episode 9. And believing these are the last words he'll ever say, Eddie tells Buck how much he loves him. He says he's sorry he realized it too late, but he could never, never regret loving him

Somehow there's a callback reference to Mitchell and Thomas, and the way Buck looked at their clasped hands as they died, and Buck realizing that dying together was never the point of their story. Living together was

And Buck is full sobbing and begging him not to give up yet because Christopher needs him and the team needs him and finally saying "and I need you, Eddie. You can't leave me. You can't-"

We get the sense that Buck is on the cusp of a love confession of his own, but before he gets the words out he's cut off by the sound of helicopter blades overhead.

Their miracle rescue arrives in time, led by none other than Buck's starting-to-be-something-serious boyfriend Tommy

After the rescue, we see Eddie in the back of the ambulance, stable and out of danger, and Buck's about to go over to him but Tommy comes running over and sweeps Buck up in his arms and kisses his temple and says, "thank god you're ok. I don't know what I'd do if I lost you"

And Buck lets himself be held, but his attention is over Tommy's shoulder looking at Eddie

Eddie, who's gonna be ok

Eddie, who loves him

Eddie, who is the absolute center of Buck's world, but Buck has never allowed himself to think of That Way

And Eddie meets Buck's eye over Tommy's shoulder and gives him a sad smile that lets Buck know he intends to go back to quietly loving Buck at just a little bit of a distance so that Buck can be happy with someone else

And just to really twist the knife, we get an overheard piece of dialogue in which Eddie refers to Buck as his "best friend" for the literal first time ever (I'm pretty sure? Up til now, any time the "best friend" label has been used it's been by Buck, but please correct me if I'm wrong.)

And the season ends there

Cue the entire fandom going APESHIT for the entirety of the summer hiatus

[batsplat]

after 2015 until 2018 it seemed that things had calmed down a bit between valentino and marc, in the sense that they had started to be polite between them again and valentino no longer seemed to be on a war footing. then after argentina obviously the situation worsened again. in the podcast where valentino spoke in 2021 if I'm not mistaken, when he talks about marc,however, he only refers to the events of sepang and not to what happened in argentina which instead seemed to have been the final “divorce”. so my question is, during 2016 and 2017 did valentino just pretend to put up with marc? because in that podcast you can feel valentino's resentment is still a lot even after many years, so I imagine it must have been even greater in the two years immediately following sepang, even if it didn't seem if you see how he behaved

well. look. it was reflected in how valentino behaved... I think sometimes if you see isolated photos and gifsets, you can maybe be left with a bit of a mistaken impression of what that dynamic actually looked like for those two years. they got to a point post-catalunya where they were civil to each other, and maybe they'd exchange two lines in greeting, at podium celebrations, when somebody in a presser made a joke... and maybe marc at the very least was sincerely hoping they could get back to something like what they had before 2015. in reality, though, it was still very very far away. it wasn't open hostilities... at some point in 2016, valentino realised he simply couldn't go on like this. I talked about it a bit here:

you get this discrepancy in his 2016 output, actually. if you compare what he's saying that autumn for written press interviews vs what he's saying with marc right next to him... he'd clearly decided there was zero point in directly fanning the flames. at the sepang 2016 presser when marc and him are quizzed on what had happened the previous year, he just goes with marc's response and decides against reopening the controversy by adding anything from his side. but he still made it clear he hadn't changed his mind in interviews from the exact same time period! at times, he tolerates marc's tentative advances - at other times, he's almost accidentally sucked in, like he can't quite help himself from laughing at something marc has said. but there was never a period where he forgave marc for what he'd done... for various reasons he just decided he wasn't going to harp on about it too much. he did basically say as much post-argentina 2018:

but yeah, argentina 2018. it's an interesting one, isn't it? the stuff that valentino says there doesn't actually feel... quite in line with anything else he's said about marc. typically, when valentino criticises marc, it really is all about sepang 2015 - it's very focused, very specific, he's talking about being unable to forgive marc on a personal level for something marc had done to valentino... but it's not like he's really coming at marc for anything else... when other riders have gotten into spats with marc, he's stayed out of it - and generally he remains pretty neutral when he talks about everything else concerning marc. so, for example, there's a world where the moment alex rins is saying marc doesn't respect other riders in 2019, valentino immediately jumps at the opportunity to offer his hot take... but he doesn't do that. and yes, he had criticised marc's riding before, in particular in marc's moto2 days, but obviously those criticisms were considerably more restrained and sounded at times quite worried for marc's sake. (he also got close to that in silverstone 2016 when he remarked marc had 'something special' for their battles, but a) he's not wrong, except insofar as it's clearly mutual, and b) he explicitly said he didn't have a problem with that fight and considered it hard but fair). in 2017, when valentino was criticising other riders for being too aggressive... well, he wasn't doing so with marc, and he even conceded the point to marc in subsequent races after marc had obliquely criticised valentino at cota for his rhetoric not matching up to his own riding. when valentino's young riders have gotten into their own spats with marc, he's not waded in either, at most saying stuff about marc's fight with pecco that from his lips sounds almost like something akin to praise. radio silence after bez's run in with marc at the end of last year... argentina 2018 is the exception not the rule

and you know... at the end of the day, that was an emotional reaction. valentino might be wearing the habitual smile on his face during the media debrief and sound reasonably calm and composed, but he was furious. which, it's always worth remembering, isn't an entirely unreasonable reaction to that specific situation. yes, valentino doesn't have a clean track record either, but you're going to struggle to find such a... weaponised carelessness, a blatant disinterest in his fellow riders while shoving them aside, in the way marc was exhibiting that day - and indeed that whole weekend. looking back, of course argentina 2018 ended up being an isolated blot on marc's track record that he's not come close to repeating since (yes, he's made high profile errors that took out other riders, but it's different)... but we didn't know that at the time. also, I doubt valentino much appreciated being treated just like an obstacle in marc's path! the fact that valentino wasn't the only marc victim that weekend kind of has an interesting effect, because you have to doubt whether it would have helped if valentino felt like he was being targeted specifically by marc, but on the other hand... well, it's almost disrespectful, isn't it... being singled out is in a way still better than being brushed aside like any other rider

still, valentino's pushing it with his criticisms, he's out of line, and he clearly did lash out in the heat of the moment - which was of course largely a product of the resentment he'd been holding onto those past two years. calling marc's behaviour that day dangerous? sure, you'd find a lot of agreement for that. saying that marc was ruining the sport? that he was intentionally causing other riders to crash? ... well, hold on one moment. I reckon the simplest explanation is the best one here: valentino was angry and said stuff he wouldn't otherwise say, which we know because he's not done so before or since. of course, he was never going to retract what he said about marc that day - he wasn't ever going to apologise for it. not with their history, not when there was still just enough about those argentina comments that he meant... so he wasn't going to feel too much regret about the bits he wouldn't have said under any other circumstance. the problem post-2015 for valentino is that constantly signalling his fury to the world wasn't doing him much good... but pretending like everything was just fine clearly also took a bit of a toll. argentina 2018 wiped the slate clean - even though they gradually crept back towards basic civility after that. and valentino really didn't continue with that line of critique... since then he's basically completely reverted back to a sepang 2015-centric approach. maybe a few hints at it... in 2021, he said something along the lines of how he doesn't feel good when he's on-track with marc, but that's pretty generic while also crucially being personal - he's not saying marc is a problem for the series, he's saying it's them specifically that have an issue with each other

which doesn't mean he didn't believe what he said in argentina 2018 in the moment... when they reconvened in cota and had marc and valentino do separate media debriefs from the main presser, valentino said he stood by his comments - but also didn't actually repeat them or elaborate on them or anything. he's back to terse short responses to the press' questions, saying he wants to focus on the race ahead: kind of the go-to approach when it comes to marc post-sepang (with notable exceptions). he's walked his strongest comments back as much as he was probably ever going to - by simple virtue of the fact that he's left it at that. and you know, he's a complicated guy... 2016-17 was both pretending and it also wasn't. he didn't act like everything was forgotten, but he certainly was willing to let people believe that this relationship might end up being mended - which quite frankly was probably never going to happen. mostly, he was just sort of sick of the whole thing, struggling to enjoy himself in what had become such a charged, hostile environment for all the riders involved. at the same time, look - fundamentally, the interpersonal chemistry with marc was always fine. they click as people! they click as riders! marc makes valentino laugh! sometimes, that line between 'pretending' and 'letting yourself pretend' and 'actually not pretending at all' can be quite thin. when valentino talks in that time period about how much he enjoyed a battle with marc, of course he isn't lying - because he really does enjoy those fights! that's what racing is all about for him, and that's something him and marc still share! as long as marc isn't barging him aside and causing him to crash, that is. maybe it'd be easier if it were all a pretence, but it wasn't... sometimes, when you say you thought a race was hard and fair, you really do mean it and you really did have a lot of fun. sometimes, the struggle isn't actually acting nice for the cameras, it's trying to bite down the temptation to laugh alongside your sworn enemy

see also assen 2016... like, isn't this kinda wild? you've just had catalunya the race before, you've just had the mere semblance of a tentative start to a possible reconciliation - then they return to the place that was really the beginning of the end for them. they go on a few track familiarisation laps, including to check out the resurfaced final chicane (aka the scene of the crime). they race each other on said track familiarisation laps. then marc brings it up in the presser, giggling about the whole thing, and apparently valentino also finds it pretty funny - before he visibly swallows up his grin. later that weekend, marc pointedly decides to try out valentino's final chicane move himself during the warm up session. this is all obviously deranged, but it's a type of deranged where they are fundamentally on the same wavelength. it's the kind of ridiculous behaviour they're both incredibly fond of... you see it in how valentino shrugs off the towing at catalunya 2019, and thinks it speaks to marc's smarts and wiliness - unsurprising, really, because they're so similar in that regard, and valentino has never shaken his admiration for marc as a competitor

valentino can clamp down on his animosity towards a rival during his direct interactions with them... lord knows if you watch a few of the casey and valentino face-to-face interactions over the years, you really wouldn't match that up with the sheer vitriol of some of the stuff they were concurrently saying about each other in the press. that rivalry was never really personal (on valentino's end), it was never fraught in the same way (for valentino anyway) - still, it shows he's theoretically capable of separating this stuff out when he needs to... and he just about managed with marc for two years. if he had just been waiting for an excuse, surely you would have heard at least a hint of that when him and marc swapped paint in 2017. you never quite knew how he was going to answer the inevitable questions about marc's riding, but no direct criticism was forthcoming at any stage. the post-argentina 2018 rhetoric wasn't in any way premeditated from valentino's side, and personally I don't think he was just waiting for an excuse either. it was the result of a constant internal conflict between knowing that engaging in any more active beef with marc wouldn't do anyone any good, and the fact that he still hadn't forgiven marc... and then a race came along that simply pissed him off enough to push him over the edge

from 2016 onwards, valentino both very much wanted and very much did not want further conflict with marc, and neither of those impulses ever quite go away. usually, he's disciplined enough to avoid stoking the flames any further... potshots to the press outside of the paddock are essentially a free and harmless outlet in that regard, and even there you can tell he was trying to scale it back in the years where he was being forced to directly interact with marc. he was pretending and not pretending and sometimes pretending like he wasn't pretending and sometimes pretending like he was pretending. maybe it would have always just taken one major on-track confrontation for things to fall apart between them again... but you do kinda have to acknowledge the whole thing was really unfortunate. I've long thought that something like sepang 2015 was pretty inevitable as long as valentino managed to put himself in title contention once marc had joined the premier class, but I don't actually feel the same way about argentina 2018. an awful marriage of circumstance and coincidence and bad choices caused the relationship to fall apart again this badly. valentino might have had some more or less sincere misgivings about marc's riding, but at the end of the day he wasn't going to ever express them unless it got personal - because all of these people are incredibly self-centred and valentino wouldn't have felt like it was worth it. he lost his temper, he said some stuff he might partly but not fully believe, he's not inclined to bring it up again. that's that

[supercalime]

I’ve been lurking in the 911 tags for only a week and I’m already exhausted of most b*ddie shippers holy shit

[buddie-or-tevan]

There are so many different ship names going around and I think you can tell what a person thinks about the ship by what ship name they use. Thus:

[myheartissetinmotion]

sam reid percy blakeney WHEN

[gaysforbyler]

Rant post because you guys are my only friends, which is kind of embarrassing but the truth. You don’t need to read it i just wanted to get it out.

I hate complaining about my parents bc they’re actually the best parents in the world, but i think I’ve been trying so hard to put them in this perfect little box that i completely ignore how much they’ve fucked me up. So many adults in my life have bullied (emotionally abused?) me because of a mental disorder I have, and I’ve always left my parents off of that list because it really wasn’t that bad with them. They might have made a few offhanded comments, but it was definitely not on the same level at all. I would never classify them as abusive in any sense, but in doing so I ignore the fact that they hurt me in general. My dad just stood there while the “trusted” adults in my life made fun of me in front of dozens of people over and over again, and he did nothing to stop them. That hurts more than anything.

When i was thirteen my worst abuser came into my life. She was my coach, like most of the others, but i was old enough to where my parents didn’t have to watch over me. I went to practice alone, and she tormented me. She pulled me aside in front of my entire team, and scolded me for being disrespectful to her. She said that my actions were not the result of any mental disorder, because she was a psychologist and she would know best. (I wasn’t diagnosed with anything at the time. I thought i was fucking insane. I’m now diagnosed with selective mutism.) She threatened to kick me off the team if i didn’t fix it. I was scared shitless that she would go through with it, because I didn’t know how my parents would react. I thought they would blame me like they had before, so i spent the next year hiding what she did (and continued to do). I was so scared to go to practice that i nearly passed out every week when the time came around. Idk, i just feel like i should have been able to trust someone

I didn’t get diagnosed until i was fourteen. I wouldn’t have gotten diagnosed at all if my cousin hadn’t been diagnosed at the age of nine. It was too late for me. I watched her get better while I made no progress myself. In the past five years, I have only spent two in therapy, because they were too busy to find me a therapist. I can’t make friends, i can’t keep friends, i can’t get a job, i have breakdowns every time i go to the store, I’m wasting my entire life being scared of every human interaction, all because no one cared enough to figure out what the hell was wrong me. I’m never getting better. This is the rest of my life.

And i know i secluded myself from the age of eight. I used to spend all of my time alone as a kid, because it’s how i felt safest. I pushed my family away. But i still feel emotionally neglected. I can’t remember the last time i went to my parents with a problem. I don’t know if i ever have. Maybe that’s because of the anxiety, but i still feel like that’s their fault. I was a child. They could have pushed more, or done literally anything to research what was going on with me. That was their job, and now I’m facing the consequences

[rxttenfish]

miravi comics in my head tonight:

aaravi eating a bucket of fried chicken legs and when shes done, she hands the bones to miri who is happy to finish them

aaravi raptor hands (autism) and miri raptor hands (mermaid)

[19orionis]

I fucking love thrifting/vintage shopping while butch I swear all my favorite pieces that aren't band shirts are from either local places or Literally Goodwill

[steakout-05]

oh my poor sick little man..... he has a bad fever :(

i've always had a soft spot for sickfics and i like seeing strong characters get taken care of by the ones who love them most :) craig is making him chicken noodle soup in the kitchen, barry's favourite meal to have whenever he's not feeling well.

bonus: earlier version with ripped sleeves

i liked the thought of him being all snug in the only piece of clothing he hasn't ripped so i drew the sleeves of his jammies because it was cuter :)

[zalgoid]

I’m making a Frostbek Playlist 🧍‍♀️ I am completely sane and normal and not on the verge of spontaneously exploding

[birb--birb]

What kind of love are you?

Violet: Love as a Threshold

Your love does not ask for much. Your love does not take. Your love is free, and unquestioned, and here for wherever needs it. When you fall in love, it is as gentle as a breath in the night. It is quiet, and it is effortless. It is tender. If your love was a house, it would readily welcome all who come through. If your love was a hearth, it would warm the hands of whoever stopped by, whether for a day, a month, a year, or forever. When you fall for someone, it is without strings, without conditions, without need. You love for the sake of loving, for the sake of caring for those who need it. You love with a giver’s heart and a giver’s hands and are made so much stronger for it. Being loved by you is to always feel at home. Your love may not always be well-received by those unprepared to linger, but it is unforgettable all the same

The second I saw this answer for Violet I knew it was perfect. Their entire romance with Astarion was about patience. Waiting for him to realize that he's truly safe with them, that they doesn't expect anything from him, that he is in the lead here and they'll follow only when he's ready and okay. And waiting without judgement, Violet knows these things take time and they were more than willing to wait, to be there, to just sit and exist with him while he figures shit out. And when he truly let Violet in, I like to think it was like with a comforting sigh, the feeling of coming home, that feeling when all pressure is lifted and you can just *exist* without fear, without judgement.

Violet has seen violence and hatred and yet chooses to show up for those they love as a place of calm and stability, without judgement, without expectations. Violet's love is patient, it doesn't expect anything back but will give you everything just because we all deserve to feel warmth and safety. They feel so much warmth in their heart that they were able to help Astarion get to a place where he feels safe. I think even if they didn't fall in love or end up together, Violet would have still shown up for him in the same way. They know what suffering is like, they've gone through enough of it themselves and come out the other end alive. They know how much it hurts, but also how much easier it is with someone to lean on.

tagged by @cleric4vampire ty for enabling so many feelies about my bbys

Tagging: @justabiteofspite and @dragon--sage (I know yall were already tagged but doing so again for funzies cause I'd love to hear about your Tavs/Durges) and anyone who wants to join in, please do!!

[ambalambs]

I finally finished this Miko fic and its a long one lol so I honestly don't expect anyone to read this. I just like having a place I can scroll through thats dedicated to my ocs so im just adding this to my little dragon hoard.

It was near midnight when Brynstan Lockett rose from his bed and made his way to the kitchen. This was a common habit of his. Despite his need to rise early in the morning and tend to his land, he somehow always found himself getting up at some point in need of a glass of water.

Or perhaps that was just the excuse he gave himself. Truth be told this habit didn't seem to really take hold until his eldest son had joined their family all those years ago. Brynstan would wake only to find himself checking on his children sleeping securely in their rooms as he made his way to the kitchen. There he would quench his parched throat, give one passing glance out the window, then make his way back to bed.

But on most nights not all his children would be in their bed. He often would find Miko absent from his. And as he glanced out that little window in the kitchen Brynstan would always find the boy sitting there on the front porch, alone and gazing off into the distance.

It would be much the same this night as Brynstan passed over his usual checks and instead made his way straight to the sink. He yawned deep as he rubbed the back of his neck and barely watching as the water filled his glass. As he brought the glass to his lips he paused, his gaze lifting towards the window before him and training onto the young man that now sat just outside.

For a moment surprise coursed through him as he nearly forgot Miko had returned home just that day. A short visit after such a grand adventure, he had said. It had been quite some time since Brynstan expected to see his son sitting just outside. The familiarity of it was almost jarring and an emotion rose up in his chest he had not anticipated.

There had been so many nights like this of seeing the young miqo'te boy sitting outside alone. Some nights Brynstan would join him and they'd sit and chat until he'd shoo the boy off to bed. Other nights he'd leave the boy be knowing he'd come inside when he was ready. The night was, after all, a Keeper of the Moon's time. But now at this moment, as Brynstan watched his eldest son in silence, memories of specific evenings passed through his mind. Memories of evenings that sitting with his son had held such significance in his life he knew some part of him had changed with each one.

---

The first night was of course different from the others. It just so happened to be the night they first found the lad. Well, he found them to be plain. It was a harsh winter that year and the snow was deep. This evening it was pushing near blizzard winds as the snow fell so Brynstan and his wife were keeping themselves warm inside. Brystan was standing by the window as he watched the snows, his mind already forming checklists for the morning. The chocobo in the barn would be kept warm enough but this cold wouldn't do their land well if it kept up.

His wife, Fiona, sat nearest to the fireplace mending some old shirt of his and humming as she stitched. They had just put their toddler to bed and the house was blessedly silent except the crackling of the flames and the deep roar of the steady winter winds. Fiona sighed heavily and paused her stitching as she placed a hand to her belly. Brynstan glanced at her and gave her a knowing smile as she looked up and met his eye and smiled back. Fiona then resumed her stitching and Brynstan turned back towards the window when something small and dark stumbling through the snow caught his eye. Brynstan froze. It was a small thing. An animal? No its gait was too much like a person. But so small? A fiend? Seemed passing strange for anything as beastly as a voidsent to pass through so close to their farm. Brynstan watched as the staggering form hugged its way against the wall of the barn, travel to the front of it, and then discreetly enter.

"There's something in the barn," Brynstan found himself saying aloud.

Fiona nearly jumped at his sudden declaration. "What? What do you mean?"

Brynstan quickly tore himself away from the window and headed for the door and grabbing his jacket and the lance he kept propped up on the wall beside it. He wasn't well trained in the art but it was a well enough weapon to wield if the situation called for it. A situation such as this.

"I'm going to check it out. You stay here."

Fiona had put down her stitching by now and was making to stand up when Brynstan held up a hand. "No, I meant it, you stay."

"The hells I will. What are you going to do out there on your own? What is it did you see?" She questioned as she tottered a moment trying to regain her balance.

"It's probably just some fox or something but I can't have it spooking the birds. I'll only be just a moment," he told her, though he hoped he sounded more convincing than he felt. With that he pushed his way out the door. The wind was stronger than it looked and he stumbled a moment as he squinted against the snow. The snow was deep as he pushed through it and forcing a trail to the barn. He'd need to shovel tomorrow, he noted.

Once he got to the barn and quickly got inside, he rushed to light a lantern before whatever creature inside could make its move against him. Lantern in one hand, lance in the other, Brynstan held the light high and scanned the barn. All was quiet except the soft kwehs of the chocobo in their stalls. Strange, the birds didn't seem troubled by whatever visitor had intruded their abode. Brynstan slowly and cautiously made his way further in. He paused a moment listening and the chocobo next to him cooed as it pressed its beak against his cheek.

"Where'd it go, girl?" He asked in a hushed breath. Just then he heard a sniffle and some shuffling just up ahead in the shadows. His heart was racing as he made his way towards that sound now, brandishing the lance as best he could. There was more sniffling and Brynstan swallowed thickly as he slowly rounded the corner behind the last stall. He cursed his feet for crunching so loudly on the hay strewn about the ground as he lifted the lamp a bit higher to illuminate the dark corner. He froze when the light fell upon a small crouched and bundled figure pressing itself as tightly as it could into the corner. Bright yellow eyes fearfully stared back at him.

The two just stared at each other for a moment both too afraid to move until Brynstan's brain caught up with just what exactly he was staring at. The small figure was a child. A miqo'te child to be exact if the small pointed ears atop its head were any indication. The fear in Brynstan steadily began to subside as he stepped a little closer to the child.

"Hey, what are you doing in here?" He asked a bit harder than he intended. The child flinched and curled closer in on itself. Brynstan stopped immediately. As he took in the frightened thing he suddenly noticed the jacket and clothing they were bundled in was heavily stained in dark and dried blood. "Are you hurt? Where did you come from? Do you need some hel-"

"Bryn, what is it?" Fiona suddenly appeared beside him. Brynstan jumped and whirled around nearly catching her with the point of his lance.

"Seven Hells, Fiona!" He rasped. His heart was racing all over again. "Didn't I say!"

"You say many things, dear," Fiona teased.

"And do you ever listen?"

"Selectively," she grinned and then looked past him to the small child. Immediately her good humored smiled fell from her face and her eyes grew wide in horror. "Oh Bryn! They're just a child! They're freezing!" Quickly Fiona pushed past him and retrieved a clean blanket that was draped over the side of the stall. She slowly approached the small miqo'te as one would approach a frightened rabbit. The child squeaked and huddled as far into the corner away from her as they could, all the while shivering violently from the cold. Fiona shushed gently and reassured them they were safe. The child watched her closely with wide eyes but as she calmly coaxed them and showing them the blanket, the more the child seemed more inclined to ignore fear for the comforts of warmth. As they began to stretch out from their curled ball of a state, their face came more into view revealing their cold blue lips.

Brynstan crouched down beside his wife and set his lamp down between them. "The lad is nearly ice," he whispered.

Fiona nodded briefly. "Is that blood?" She whispered back. "There's so much of it, it cant be his do you think?"

"Couldn't be. We ought to get him inside though and make sure some of it isn't."

Slowly Fiona closed the final gap between her and the young boy. He flinched but relented as she wrapped the blanket around him. "Hush now you're safe now. It's alright," she softly whispered to the boy. He seemed to almost collapse against her then as exhaustion started to overtake him. His eyes fluttered a moment just as Fiona scooped him up into her arms. The two adults gave each other a look before making their way back to the house.

After some time Brynstan sat in an armchair, leaning forward, his elbows rested on his knees and hands folded in front of his mouth in thought. He watched Fiona sitting in front of the fire with the boy laying on the floor with her, bundled in blankets and his head resting on her lap and sound asleep. She gently brushed her fingers through his hair as she gazed down at him.

"We'll have to inform the Wood Wailers. If this was the work of Garleans they'll need to know," Brynstan reasoned. "Twelve, they never come this far into the wood."

Fiona didn't respond but kept watching the young boy.

"The Wailers will know what to do with him, too," he continued. "How far do you think he traveled on his own like that? To think there was a Keeper village so close."

Finally Fiona looked up at him. "We aren't just going to hand him over to the Wood Wailers."

Brynstan blinked at her dumbly. "What? But why not? Fio, what are we going to do with a Keeper child?"

"Come, Bryn! He's just a child! He hasn't even grown into his tail yet. I'm not about to let the Wailers drag him off to some orphanage in Gridania. A small thing like him they'd eat him alive," she said, a heavy and tired breath escaped her as she looked back towards the sleeping boy again. His lips were finally gaining back their color and his ears flicked lightly as he dreamed.

Brynstan tried to deny it but he could already see he was facing a losing battle when she spoke again, "Besides, he said his father would be coming for him. If we send him off that poor man may never find him."

"Do you really believe he's coming?" Brynstan asked, his clasped hands falling away from his face to rest on his knees. Fiona met his gaze then, her eyes wet with tears she fought to keep at bay. They stared at each other for a long moment then. Both knowing. Both accepting. No matter what came, this boy was now theirs.

---

The second night to come forth in Brynstan's memory happened nearly two months after finding Miko in the barn, and it was the first of the soon many nights he'd found Miko sitting outside. They had shared what information they could get from the boy with the Wood Wailers and, although not much had come of it, the vigilance of a patrol was comforting. At the very least the guard accepted Brynstan and Fiona's requests to leave the boy in their care, at least until his family came to claim him.

The boy in question, however, turned out to be incredibly helpful. Brynstan was surprised to admit it but the boy was a quick learner and eager to make himself useful. He spoke very little and had a shyness about him. Fiona seemed to have a way with him that Brynstan could not seem to master. So often he'd catch the boy's soft whispers or small smiles only in her company. Still though, they found it a trial to uncover the boy's name. A few days after he had begun staying with them their young son, Dustan, coined the name Miko for the lad which Brynstan was grateful for. Calling him "Boy" just felt too harsh on his lips when he'd try to order him about the small chores around the farm. Miko didn't seem to mind it, though, and quickly took to the nickname with ease. Even so far as to introduce himself to their newborn daughter with the name when she finally came.

Even then Miko had been an immense help that Brynstan had not expected. The boy seemed just a natural at being there at the right time to lend a hand for most anything he was capable of. Brynstan remembers several moments of Miko tending to the little girl all swaddled and soothed to sleep when the boy began to hum songs Brynstan didn't recognize. Each time he'd also catch Fiona watching them with such love in her eyes that Brynstan also couldn't help but begin to share the same affection.

And so it was on this particular evening that Brynstan had just taken his turn to change and calm the baby back to sleep and tuck her back into her cradle. He made his way to the kitchen as habit would carry him when a glance out the window he saw that familiar small, curled up figure of Miko. The man paused a moment, surprised and curious as to what would lead the boy to sit outside in the cold so late. He quickly grabbed a quilt off the sofa and made his way outside to join him.

Miko sat there, knees drawn up close to his chest, his arms wrapped around them and his face tucked close as if trying to keep his lips warm. The old barn cat sat curled up against his side but despite the warmth from the little creature Miko still shivered lightly. Brynstan made his way over and carefully wrapped the quilt around the boy even though he didn't seem to acknowledge his presence beyond a brief flick of an ear towards his direction. Brynstan then sat down next to him, carefully eyeing him with a curious look. Miko just kept staring off ahead of them and when Brynstan tried to follow his gaze it merely looked towards the treeline of the woods.

Brynstan looked back at him, "Can't sleep, huh? Something on your mind? You've seemed distracted all day." Which was true. There had been many times that day while tending to the chocobo Brynstan had to grab Miko's attention. The boy seemed lost in thought or zoning off towards the woods in a way he'd never done before. It made Brynstan worry.

The boy sniffled dryly and shrugged, still not removing his gaze from that treeline.

Brynstan sighed and reached out to give the barn cat a brief scratch behind the ears. "It's cold out here, y'know. If you need to talk about something you know you can talk to me, Miko. But I'd much rather we do it inside where you won't catch a cold."

Miko blinked and seemed to be thinking something over. His face squished against the top of his knees and he mumbled, "Rhaj'a."

Brynstan leaned in a bit towards him to catch his words easier. He hummed questioningly. "Rhaj'a? Is that your name, son?"

Miko gave a small nod and glanced nervously in Brynstan's direction. Brynstan gave him a small smile. "It's a nice name. Would you prefer we call you that from now on?"

Miko seemed to think for a moment but eventually shook his head his eyes dropping sadly. Brynstan then noticed there were tears beginning to brim up in the little boy's eyes and he was once again looking towards the woods.

After a moment Miko finally spoke again, his voice a small croak as he forced the words out. "He isn't coming. Is he?"

Brynstan's chest tightened then. "He" meaning Miko's father, it was obvious. And the way Miko asked it wasn't really a question but a need for confirmation. The grown up needed to tell him the fact. His small heart needing to accept it but unable to grasp the uncertainty of a loss with no proof. And what could Brynstan tell him? Not even he knew what could've happened to the man and who was to say he was either alive or dead. But it had been long enough now none of them could hope to expect the miracle to come.

Brynstan had dreaded this moment and half hoped the boy would've managed to move on and forget and remain content in this new home they made for him. But that was a cruel wish to hope for. So instead he sighed and softly said, "I'm sorry, Miko. I don't...I don't think so."

Miko's eyes squeezed shut then, the tears falling past his lashes as he buried his face further into his knees. Brynstan couldn't bear it then and reached out to him, holding him in a tight embrace. Miko cried softly into him but never made a sound but Brynstan knew right then and there as his heart broke for the boy that this boy was his. This was his home and the Twelve as his witness this boy was now and forever his family.

---

The third notable night happened during the second winter since Miko had joined the family. It was Starlight Eve and with it came a light dusting of snow. The day had been filled with preparations for the holiday festivities. Fiona had been baking up a storm and all three of the children had been a whirlwind of excitement. So much so they were put to bed early if only to give Brynstan and Fiona a moments reprieve for the evening before the next day.

But something in Brynstan seemed to spur him to staying up a bit later. As he glanced out the window to see the small miqo'te boy sitting outside, he realized he was expecting, no, hoping to find him out there this evening. The lad was bundled up in his jacket and a scarf wrapped messily round and round his neck. He seemed to be fiddling with something and it was holding his focus intensely. Brynstan snatched a couple of peppermint scones from the bin full of freshly made sweets for tomorrow and made his way out to join him.

Miko quickly looked up and beamed brightly at him as Brynstan stepped outside, carefully and quietly closing the door behind him. "Aah someone is too excited to sleep I gather," Byrnstan said as he sat down beside the boy.

"How could I not be? Aren't you excited too?" Miko exclaimed in a rush. Brynstan shushed him with a chuckle. He then held out one of the scones to him and Miko eyed it wearily. "Didn't Mother tell us all not to touch those until tomorrow?"

Brynstan paused mid bite into his own scone. "I shall incur her wrath should she take notice of a couple missing pastries," he shrugged. Miko giggled and gladly accepted the scone.

They had come to learn last season that Miko's village had never celebrated Starlight. Which wasn't much of a surprise in all honesty. After all, in what way would a Keeper of the Moon village come to inherit a holiday borne of Ishgardian origins. So the whole celebration had been quite the wonder to Miko that year. All the food and sweets, the songs and decorations, the gift giving. Brynstan had never taken much notice to it all when it had become such a common spectacle over his lifetime but to witness the boy experiencing it all for the first time truly ignited a festive spirit he hadn't expected in himself. So this year the boy had an idea what to expect and he had been absolutely buzzing with anticipation.

"So did you already finish writing your letter to nymeia?" Brynstan found himself asking.

Miko shook his head. "No, I couldn't decide what to put in it. Nor did I want Mother writing it for me. She's been teaching me the letters but its...difficult."

"That's fine, lad. The Starlight Sentinel shall still stand regardless. And there's always next year. Perhaps by then your penmanship will improve."

"I hope so," Miko grinned as he set aside his snack and continued to fiddle with the thing in his hands.

"What is it you've got there?" asked Brynstan, leaning forward ever so slightly as if it could help him see just what Miko seemed to have in his hands.

Miko didn't seem the least bit shy about it, however, and proudly held up his crude creation. It was made of pinecones and twigs and twine. Perhaps some leaves thrown in as well? It had the shape of a four-legged creature. To Brynstan's eye it looked almost like a misshapen cow. "It's Dalamud! Menphina's wolf!" Miko beamed. But then he frowned and lowered his creation back to his lap. "Or it was supposed to be. Turns out I'm not very good at this."

Brynstan laughed. "Well it's got a close enough likeness to it. But what brought on this creation so late?"

Miko sighed. "Well during the winter solstice all the kids in the village would make Dalamud figures and give them to each other. I never got to give any out before since none of the other kids would take mine. But I thought maybe this year I could give one to Dustan and Bayla and you and Mother! But I don't know when the solstice is..."

"So you thought to make them for Starlight?"

"Yup!" Miko beamed up at him. Brynstan smiled back despite the tug at his heart. It was good Miko was able to talk about the home he had lost. There were times he would even speak about his real mother and it wasn't shadowed by the sadness or loss. It relieved Brynstan that if anything, the boy wasn't being claimed by the grief.

"I think that's a brilliant idea, son," Brynstan told him as he gently bumped their shoulders together.

Miko giggled and turned back to stare at his creation. He then quickly held it out to him. "Did you want this one? Sorry it's ugly. I think I can do the next one better."

Brynstan held out a hand. "It would be my honor." Miko grinned and gently placed the makeshift wolf upon his palm. Then he reached back down to start munching on his neglected scone.

"We should really get you to bed, though. You don't want to be too tired for all the festivities tomorrow," Brynstan told him as he started to stand up.

Miko sighed and nodded. "Do you think those people who were doing all that singing last year will be doing that again?" He stared up at him with the biggest and brightest of eyes.

"The carolers? Oh I imagine they will. They tend to always have someone around town to sing something every year."

"Do you think I could join them? Or try to? I've been trying to learn some of the songs. Or maybe I could play the violin for them?" Miko asked in a rush as he hopped up to follow Brynstan inside.

Brynstan chuckled at his enthusiasm. "I'm sure there's no harm in asking. But for now I need you to scurry off to bed before we get caught red handed with the crumbs of these scones on our scarves." Miko laughed as quietly as he could at that and Brynstan gave the boy a soft nudge back inside the house.

---

The fourth night was not the most pleasant of memories. It was the one moment in Miko's young life he had ever expressed any form of teenage rebellion. Brynstan recalled that night with a grimace.

Miko had come of an age when most children in his village would have been welcomed to join in on the hunts. He had taken it upon himself to uphold that tradition and brought home a deer. He had looked so proud as he carried his burden back to the farm but Brynstan recalled now how quickly that bright familiar smile of his had died in an instant at their reaction. Gridanians had to follow strict rules of the wood, after all. To poach could incur the elementals wrath and Brynstan had been filled with instant worry for his family's safety the moment he laid eyes on that deer.

They had called upon the Wood Wailers to express their concern. Miko sat in silence at the dining table as the adults discussed. Brynstan could tell Fiona had tried to comfort the boy, to reassure him he wasn't in any real trouble, that they were just trying to be careful, but whether Miko was really accepting the matter was another thing entirely.

Now as Brynstan got up to check on his sleeping children as he did most nights, he came to Miko's room and found his bed empty. He could feel a twinge of frustration run through him at that. After everything that happened that day why couldn't the boy just stay in bed for one night. So he stomped his way to the front porch not even stopping to take a glance out the window to make sure Miko was even out there. There would be no mistaking where the boy would be. And as Brynstan burst through the front door there he was, once again sitting and hugging his knees and clutching an old scarf in his hand. He wasn't curled in on himself like he had done those few years ago but he looked prepped to pounce if he needed. His ears were pressed flat back against his head and his eyes stared daggers toward the treeline.

"Miko, what are you doing out here? You should be in bed," Brynstan sighed.

Miko pursed his lips and his grip on his scarf tightened, the tip of his tail flicked with agitation.

Brynstan let out another tired huff at the lack of response and moved to sit beside him. "Listen, son, we've already said what needed to be said. The day is done let's not dwell on it."

"I don't see what the big deal was. It was just one deer," Miko snapped.

"And one deer is all it could take to anger the elementals," Brynstan squeezed the bridge of his nose.

"The elementals have never bothered the Keepers," Miko pushed and leveled Brynstan with a glare.

And oh that look ignited a fire in the older man. Miko was never one to talk back and this sudden side of him was not something Brynstan expected nor thought he'd have to prepare to deal with, especially so soon. At least not with Miko. He assumed he'd get that lip from his other son.

"That may be so but this family is Gridanian, Miko. Whatever you do could affect this family and you have to think about that. The elementals do not discriminate. Man, woman, child, it matters not to them, they will spread the Greenwrath for even the smallest of harm to their woods. You could bring back a rabbit and they could curse this whole house. Even your brother and sister. Is that something you want?" Brynstan fumed, gesturing to the house behind them.

"Of course not!" Miko cried, his voice cracking slightly. His nose was beginning to flush as frustrated tears started building up in his eyes. He quickly looked away from Brynstan and trained his eyes back on the forest again, his grip on the scarf in his hand turning his knuckles white.

Brynstan paused realizing just how harsh his response had been. The lad didn't deserve that. But gods, Brynstan was afraid. He sighed then trying to calm himself as he ran a hand through his hair. "Listen, son-"

"Yeah Son," Miko scoffed and immediately the pair of them froze. Miko's eyes grew wide as if he had shocked even himself with the outburst.

Brynstan felt as if the boy may as well have just slapped him. "Yes. Son. None of this has anything to do with that. You belong here. If your mother or I have done anything to make you feel otherwise-" he paused unable to form nor process the words he meant to say. All the while he spoke Miko had begun to curl in on himself, turning his face away from Brynstan and burying the side of his cheek against his knees. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have-"

Miko's shoulders began to shudder. As Brynstan watched him a moment, realizing the boy was crying, a sudden weight dropped down into the pit of his stomach. His eyes fell upon the scarf clutched so tightly in Miko's grasp and filled with immediate recognition. The scarf was small and darkly stained. It was the very same scarf Miko had been wearing when he first showed up in their barn. Fiona had done her best to clean the stains from it but blood is tricky.

The realization of Miko's crouched and ready pose, the scarf in his grasp, the eyes so focused on that treeline. Was he aiming to run away? A sudden rush of panic overtook Brynstan for a moment. Miko was a capable child. He proved just today he could hunt and fend for himself out there and the amount of time he already spent in those woods on his own it was basically a second home to him. But he was still just a child and to be out there alone? Brynstan couldn't bear it. Was this situation truly all so bad that not even all these years of care and love could keep him?

"Miko, please," Brynstan whispered. He reached out a careful hand to grip Miko's shoulder but the boy quickly jerked away. "I'm sorry, son. Truly I am. I didn't mean-" he sighed again. "Rhaj'a..."

Miko visibly tensed and his shoulders stopped shuddering. Brynstan could barely hear the small muffled gasp as he continued. "I know today was...well it wasn't how things should've gone. And I am sorry for that. Really I am, son. The Wood Wailers said they'll bring a Seedseer out here just as a precaution but things should be alright." He paused a moment and in the brief silence he kicked himself for not being better at words. But Miko just sniffled and still didn't turn back to look at him.

Brynstan let out a tired breath. "Listen, what do you say tomorrow we get in touch with the Trappers League? I'm sure they'll let you join them for their hunts if we ask, what do you say to that?" He tried to sound more cheerful. To push that hopefulness onto Miko, the fear of him running away still coursing through him. He had to try something, anything to get his boy to stay. But in the silence Brynstan's worry grew. He tried to push it down, just pretend it isn't there. And at the end of his desperation all he could say was, "You are loved, Rhaj'a. Your mother loves you, your sister, brother. I love you. You're home here, alright?"

What else could he say? When Miko still didn't turn to look at him or show any sign of response, Brynstan relented. He stood with a sigh and opened the door. "Let's just...sleep on it for now. In the morning we'll all have clearer heads and I'll take the two of us into town and we can meet with the league and- oof!" In a rush Miko had sprung up from the deck and squeezed Brynstan in the tightest hug he'd ever given him. His face pressed hard into his chest and Brynstan could already feel his tears seeping into his shirt. But that didn't matter. Brynstan quickly hugged him back and squeezed just as tight. But just as quickly as the hug started, Miko immediately pulled away and rushed inside and bolted to his room.

Brynstan watched him go, his chest tight from the sudden rush of emotion and relief that Miko didn't just bound off for the woods. He was still here under his roof and that was enough. As he stood there wiping his own eyes of the tears that also had began to form and letting out an exhausted breath, he thought to himself, Do better, Brynstan. You have to do better. And with that he made his own way back into the house.

---

The fifth night had come many years later. There had of course been many nights the two would still spend chatting into the late hours on that porch. But none of true note until this night. The seventh umbral calamity had already come and gone. The farm had finally begun to flourish again and life had settled down to the same old routine.

Brynstan stirred from his bed at the soft sound of a violin playing just outside. He knew exactly who was making that music and swiftly rose to join his eldest son outside. Miko immediately stopped playing the moment his father caught his eye and he smiled at him as he set the instrument aside.

"Please, you don't have to stop on my account," Brynstan told him as he sat. The moon was bright this night and it almost seemed to illuminate the entire land before them.

Miko shook his head with a soft smile playing at his lips. "Nah it was just a distraction. I'd rather replace it with you anyway."

"Oh I'm a distraction now?"

Miko lifted a hand and pinched his fingers together. "Just the teeniest one." The pair chuckled as Miko dropped his hand and turned his gaze up towards the moon.

Brynstan followed his gaze a moment then looked back at him when the silence fell hard between them. Miko had grown much over the past few years. He was still small as most miqo'te men are but he was a man grown now. It was moments like this that made Brynstan suddenly feel very old, and he smiled softly at that thought.

"What's on your mind, son?" Brynstan finally asked. There was that tale tell look in Miko's eyes when he gets to thinking too hard about something that Brynstan recognize all too well.

Miko bit his lip a moment, his fang catching, before he finally took a deep breath. "I've been thinking," he started. "I think I want to try adventuring." He looked at Brynstan then to gauge his reaction.

Brynstan merely nodded thoughtfully. In truth he had sensed something like this coming. As Miko grew up so too did his wandering spirit. He could see it in the boy's eyes when he'd listen to stories about far off lands or about heroes and their grand adventures. Miko was also helpful to a fault. The town had grown familiar with their ability to call upon him to help with any task no matter how miniscule. An adventuring life in truth wouldn't be too outrageous for someone like him. There were dangers to such a life, yes, but the lad had proven himself more than capable many times. Even more during the calamity...

"Does this have to do with those dreams you've been having?" asked Brynstan. Not long after they had taken in Miko it became obvious he had some kind of unique gift. Headaches spurned by visions of moments in the past would plague him and although it was unusual and unsettling at first, it was never something that they paid much mind too. There were of course tales of others with such a gift, rare as it was. But they only increased in intensity and frequency when the calamity drew near. And ever since Miko had claimed he kept hearing a voice calling to him from his dreams. Dreams of a crystal.

Miko shrugged. "In part, I suppose. Whatever it is I do feel like it's calling to me. As if there's something I must do or see. But I won't ever figure out the answer to whatever it is by staying here. But..."

Brynstan softly smiled at him. "But it's hard to leave."

Miko smiled back at him, shyly.

It wouldn't be an easy thing to let his son go, but Brynstan could see it so keenly in Miko's eyes he needed this. He needed to go out there and see that grand world. The good, the bad, all of it. Brynstan knew he was ready for it but he'd be lying if he said he didn't want him to go either.

"Have you told your mother?" he finally asked.

Miko scoffed. "Oh no not yet. She's going to butcher me."

"It seems likely," Brynstan laughed. "But she'll understand. She probably knows already. I swear sometimes she's the one with the crazy visions instead of you."

Miko chuckled and looked back up towards the sky. "Yeah probably. But gods do I want to go out there, Dad. I want to see it all."

There was a wistful way he said it that only starstruck adventurers do. Brynstan sighed then and took a more serious tone. "And pray tell where would this new sprout begin his grand adventure?"

Miko looked back at him. "I was thinking Gridania? It's the nearest city and I'd still be in the black shroud. So still close enough to home."

"And how will you make your coin?"

"I'm good with the bow. I'm sure that can get me started with some jobs to start. Or I have my music!" Miko grinned as he plucked a couple strings on his violin. His smile fell though when he noticed the pointed look his father gave him. "C'mon adventuring is the way I'll make the coin. It's a profession. I'll go to the guild and figure out what I'll do from there."

"Sounds promising," Brynstan muttered.

"I can do it, Dad. I know it."

Brynstan held up a hand. "No no I know you can. I think that's what worries me the most."

Miko eyed him a moment then smiled softly. "I won't be gone forever. I'll always come back."

Brynstan nodded. He turned his own gaze up towards the sky this time. "You said the dreams you've been having were only partially your reasoning for choosing this. But, son, I know you. And I need you to promise me now that the other reason isn't because you want to storm off on some revenge path against the Garleans." Brynstan finally met his eyes then.

Miko's bright smile faded for a moment as he leveled his father's gaze. "I promise," he said flatly and pointedly. Brynstan held his gaze for a beat recognizing that flash of familiar anger behind his eyes that only seemed to happen when the Garleans were mentioned. But quickly Miko chuckled ruefully and waved him off. "I mean if I happen to be forced to knock in a couple of their heads along the way I wouldn't be opposed. But no. I'm not going into this for anything like that."

"Just the call for adventure then?"

"Just so."

"You're truly the embodiment of Oschon the Wanderer," Brynstan declared with a soft laugh.

"And wander I shall!" Miko beamed.

Brynstan shook his head at him with a grin. "You know I should've seen this coming. You Keeper boys are known to never stay put."

"Oh now you're the expert on what Keepers do?" Miko teased.

Brynstan chuckled and gave Miko's shoulder a small shove. The two laughed lightly for a moment as they turned their gaze back up towards the stars. They basked in that silence a moment then, lost in their own thoughts. Brynstan's full of worry for his son, of how he would fill the void of his absence, who would take his place to fill in his hands on the farm, the concern for whatever dangers he would face on his travels. Miko's lost to that awaiting journey, of what wonders he'll see, what people he'll meet.

"Y'know your sister will miss you," Brynstan finally said.

Miko nodded. "I know. I'll miss her too. But I'll write. I'll write everyday if that'll help."

"Has your penmanship improved?"

Miko made an uncertain noise and shrugged. They both smiled at that. "Will you be alright though? With the farm, I mean."

Brynstan waved him off. "Oh don't you worry about that. I've still got your brother and the Tollers have plenty of sons to spare. I'm sure I can recruit a few of them for the harvest."

Miko nodded in agreement.

"But I will miss you, too," Brynstan finally said, still not looking at Miko but keeping his eyes towards the sky. He could feel Miko's eyes on him but he dared not meet his son's gaze.

"Me too," Miko finally replied softly. They sat together quietly then until after a moment Miko took up his violin again, playing a soft and familiar tune into the night.

---

And now, as Brynstan brings himself back to this present night, he finds himself opening that front door to join his eldest son once again on that front porch. He doesn't say a word as he joins him, both leaning their backs against the wall of the house this time and gazing up at the moon. It was bright again this night and the sky was clear. The stars shining like little beacons against the darkness. Miko sat with one leg outstretched before him, the other bent and his arms hugging it close. He didn't look towards Brynstan when he approached but his ear turned as always to acknowledge his presence. Brynstan didn't mind. The silence of his son's company was enough. But he still couldn't help himself to at least break it after a moment.

"The moon is bright tonight," said Brynstan, simply.

"Yeah. I keep thinking if I look hard enough I'll see a little loporrit running around up there," Miko said as he squinted his eyes.

"Well, any luck?"

"None, unfortunately," Miko sighed. Brynstan glanced at him from the corner of his eye. Miko looked tired. Brynstan had seen it the moment he had returned that morning, strolling up the path on his chocobo. He had greeted them with his familiar bright and lighthearted smile they all knew. Quick to joke and laugh, but there was a shadow to his bright eyes now that wasn't there before when he had left home for the first time. It weighed on Brynstan, just as the sight of that scar across Miko's face glared at him, the very sight of it a sudden and unforgettable reminder of just what his son had been through.

Brynstan swallowed dryly at the thought and cleared his throat. "So does it feel different looking up at it now that you've actually been up there?" He tried asking to distract himself from his wandering thoughts.

Miko shrugged. "Not really. From here it's still beautiful."

Brynstan nodded. They fell silent again, an odd thing Brynstan thought. Miko seemed short of words tonight. Perhaps he talked himself weary earlier when he shared his stories with them. His siblings wouldn't seem to give him a moments rest with all their questions. But it was nice, this silence, Brynstan had to admit.

"I found him," Miko suddenly said, cutting through that silence like a knife. "My real father. I found him."

Brynstan stared at him a moment, his breath catching in his throat for just a moment. There was no change in Miko's expression, however, as he kept his eyes trained on that far away moon. "I see," was all Brynstan could muster.

Miko drew in a heavy breath and finally dropped his eyes. "Turns out the Garleans had taken him. Dragged him straight back to their homeland and put him to use in the ceruleum mines. He died only a couple years ago. I guess the cold finally caught up with him."

It took Brynstan a moment to notice his mouth hanging slightly ajar. He quickly snapped it shut and swallowed thickly. "I'm sorry, son. That's-" once again he was failing at his words. As he watched Miko he couldn't quite read his expression. He seemed almost disconnected by the fact he was sharing. But then his brow furrowed deeply in thought before he spoke again.

"Y'know I think the hardest part of it all is knowing all this time he was still out there. He was just right over there and I was already a warrior of light. I-"

"Miko, no. Don't do that to yourself," Brynstan immediately jumped in knowing exactly where this was heading.

"I know, I know," Miko quickly recovered. "It's just... do you think he heard about me? About the young warrior of light out there liberating Doma and Ala Mhigo and wondering when he'd find his way there to liberate him too?" Miko finally looked up at Brynstan. He could see the sudden pain in Miko's eyes then. That same pain he saw in the eyes of that small child asking if his father was coming. When Miko spoke again it was almost a whisper. "Do you think he knew it was me?"

Brynstan sighed then, mulling over what to say. "Son, there was nothing you could've done. You didn't know. How could anyone know? And if you did find out sooner what then? Would you have abandoned the scions to carve your way into the tundra to save him? You'd have been outnumbered one to thousands trying to get to him. You wouldn't be sitting here now, having saved all you have, if you had."

Miko closed his eyes and nodded solemnly and leaned his head back to rest on the wall behind him. "I think that's why it's so hard to accept. I've done so much, saved so much, brought hope to so many, but I couldn't even save my own parents."

Brynstan sighed then. "You were just a boy."

"If I had known what I was back then-"

"Stop that." Brynstan nearly growled, his patience wearing thin.

"It hasn't been just them, though, Dad. Ever since coming back from Ultima Thule I cant stop thinking about all those I lost. Haurchefant, Minfilia, Papalymo, Venat," Miko paused a moment. Brynstan watched him as he closed his eyes. All the names and faces passing through his memory, before he finally spoke again, "hells even Zenos."

"Zenos?!" Brynstan blanched. "Why the hell would you spare a thought on that monster?"

"He wasn't a monster-"

"After everything he did to you?" Brynstan gestured angrily at the scar on Miko's face.

Miko rolled his eyes and sighed. Brynstan stared at him hard waiting for him to respond, but Miko seemed to hold his tongue a moment trying his best to decide how to explain. "He was what I could've been," he finally began, meeting his father's eyes. "If you and Mother hadn't found me and taken me in. If you hadn't raised me with so much love, taught me how to love and hope inreturn, I could've been him."

Brynstan gaped at that, suddenly at a loss for words.

"In the end, all Zenos had was me. And I never once offered him a hand or a chance to know better. Maybe everyone would've been right. Maybe he was already a lost cause. But I should've at least tried." Miko let out a tired sigh then once again rested his head back against the wall. "Maybe that's the balance for a warrior of light. You save so much but lose just as much in the end."

"You're heart is much too big, Miko," Brynstan said softly. Miko glanced at him, a tired but bright smile pulled ruefully at his lips. "No matter what you think, you would never become like him. You have always tried much too hard to be good without any help from anyone. It's just your nature, son. And when it comes to not saving some, you're always trying. You're just one man. One man can only do so much. Even one as strong as you."

Miko's shoulders seemed to soften as Brynstan spoke.

"And besides," Brynstan continued. "Look at the family you made out there. Those scions. Look at how much you've gained from it all, son."

Miko chuckled then, the smile that stretched across his face true and genuine. "I know. They're pretty great."

Brynstan found himself smiling then too. From the moment Miko had come home all his changes had been so evident. Straight down to the way he carried himself, there was a maturity there. His son, a great and powerful warrior of light who had slain gods! How terrifying and powerful he was now. Never in his dreams did Brynstan believe such feats would be told about his own son. Especially now as he watched this young man smile at him, all he could see was that small boy he'd raised.

"They'd be so proud of you," Brynstan found himself saying, speaking once again of Miko's parents, his eyes brimming with tears, "I'm proud of you."

Miko's bright grin softened. "Thank you."

"My boy, the warrior of light," Brynstan seemed to chuckle to himself as he looked back up towards the sky.

Miko was silent a moment at that. Then said, "Warrior of light. Im not sure what that even means anymore. Light is supposed to guide, like a beacon. To bring life and sanctuary and hope. But light also casts shadows and the brighter the light, the greater and darker the shadow. So I guess I'm just afraid what kind of shadow I cast."

Brynstan chuckled lightly again. "A Zenos shaped one, it seems."

Miko shoved his shoulder lightly at that. "Okay okay."

"You've let your bard skills go to your head. You're beginning to think too much like a poet."

"Well maybe a poet I shall be in my retirement."

"Twelve have mercy on us," Brynstan prayed as Miko rolled his eyes at him. They fell quiet again then as a thought stirred in Brynstan. "Say, earlier today when you were telling us about your duel with Zenos, you mentioned him asking you if you found fulfillment on your journey."

"Mhm." Miko kept his eyes towards the sky.

"Well, did you?" Brynstan pressed.

Miko didn't respond right away but kept looking towards those distant stars. Then a bright and brilliant smile spread across his face as he finally looked back at him. "I loved it, Dad. Every second of it." He then let out a light laugh.

There it was. The light Brynstan had been hoping to see. There it was in those bright yellow eyes and the hope and joy that followed. That desire to go back out there and experience more. To not yet let that journey end.

But then Miko's ear suddenly turned away, hearing something Brynstan could not. Miko quickly turned to look in the direction of what caught his ear. "Oh!" He exclaimed, "it seems we have a visitor." He then lifted up a hand and suddenly a great blue bird landed upon it. Brynstan jumped at its sudden arrival and stared at it in awe. Its belly was bright white like the moon's light and its long tail feathers gently drifted off behind it in the breeze. There was an eeriness to the intelligence behind its eyes though that left Brynstan somewhat weary.

"I didn't expect you to come by so soon," Miko said to the bird, his voice gentle. "Were you already feeling a bit lonely, my friend?"

Brynstan watched them as Miko then closed his eyes and gently pressed his forehead against the bird's. And it too also closed its eyes in turn. It was a moment Brynstan couldn't bear to interrupt and as he stared at his son, the moonlight illuminating him, he saw him quite literally in a different light. Here was the hero who knew more about life than he would ever know. Who had seen and experienced and felt things beyond what Brynstan could ever imagine.

But this man was also still his boy. That same little boy freezing and blue from the cold that he swore he'd never stop loving.

[twentyfivemiceinatrenchcoat]

ARIIIII I WANNA JOIN THE BINGO :333

LOGAN MY BELOVED!!!!! MY STAR IN THE SKY!!!!!!! hehe here is your bingo :33 I HOPE YOU’RE DOING SO WELLL i hope the stardew is valleying…. etcetc…… kissing u softly on the cheek <33

[mariposita24]

2 for your big boy and 20 for you !!

2- If your character could choose, would they be a different size?

I have Clyde in sO many au’s, so it depends, but overall in most if not all universes, if he could choose he’d want to be a regular human height.

20- Hot take about g/t?

It’s neat! I’ve always liked size difference stuff. I’d mostly daydream and make related art and stories. I only recently (in the last few years) learned there was a fandom surrounding it. I love finding stories to read! Since I discovered this was a thing I’ve been consuming g/t literature like crazy! I’m super open to recommendations for more things to read! I also love learning about others gt ocs and in-universe lore! I’m definitely open to chatting, doing art trades and any fun oc-related stuff! I just tend to be shy about interacting online 🥲 so, it’s really nice when others initiate stuff! Thank you for your ask 🥰